


In The Moondust

by BeanieB



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst and Humor, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Cliche but worth it, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts, F/F, F/M, Force Bond (Star Wars), M/M, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Redemption, Romance, Semi-Slow Burn, The Fanfic I've Always Wanted To Write, This Fic is My Baby and So is Ben Solo, how are they still alive, risky adventure, send help
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:42:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26883829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeanieB/pseuds/BeanieB
Summary: It's been almost a year since the Battle of Crait, the death of Supreme Leader Snoke, the sacrifice of Luke Skywalker, and the destruction of the Supremacy. Rey of Jakku has since grown stronger, but with great power in the Force, also comes great responsibility. And an even greater connection to Kylo Ren. Will she be able to save Ben Solo from himself? Will she be able to save the galaxy from the First Order?This is not going to go the way you think.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	1. The Fault In Our Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or plot points of the Star Wars Universe. This fic, as well as new characters introduced, are not canon. 
> 
> Hello all and welcome to my very classy and somewhat trashy retelling of the Reylo ship (because let's face it, the ending of The Rise of Skywalker was NOT satisfying at all, no offense to the creators). I will be infinitely grateful for any likes, comments, or suggestions you may have or want to share (I would really like some beta readers). But seriously, I hope you all enjoy. 
> 
> A big thank you to my best friends for supporting me in this endeavor and agreeing to keep this a secret from my mother.

~~~

Rey couldn’t find it in herself to hate Kylo Ren. 

As much as she wanted to, as much as she’d  _ tried _ to, she knew it was impossible. Kylo Ren was the tortured and misguided creation of Snoke, manipulated into the clutches of the Dark Side, persuaded to carry out unspeakable acts of violence. He thrived on pain inflicted upon himself and others. He sought the bitter numbness of suffering, found strength in it. Kylo Ren was a monster. 

He had killed his father without hesitation. He had burned Tuanul to the ground and slaughtered the innocent villagers. He had tortured Poe for the map to Luke Skywalker. He had almost killed Finn in the cold forest on Starkiller. And while she couldn’t easily forget his cruelty, she couldn’t deny feeling his conflict. 

The way overwhelming loss had nearly suffocated her as Han Solo’s body fell into a chasm of black and red, into the core of a dying planet. It was Kylo Ren’s grief, merging with her own. He had been convinced the act was necessary to fully embrace the darkness and Snoke’s influence, that killing his father would have allowed him to let go of the past. But he had been wrong. It haunted him. Even now, almost a year after his father’s death, the nightmares were unbearable. In her head and his, the memory shared between them, amplified by the pain. 

The repetitive vision of Han’s body being pierced through by the vermillion lightsaber made her scream and sweat, until she was awake again, until she could rationalize that there was nothing she could have done. But there was an even worse pain some nights. One’s where she could feel Ben Solo flickering in the distance. In the vastness of her mind, of the galaxy. She could feel him crying out helplessly, mourning his father and the life that could have been. 

He would tear into himself in these dreams, soul bared and aching, as echoes of childhood flitted across his mind. Memories of Han trying to teach him how to pilot the Falcon. Memories of wrestling with Chewie, when Ben’s limbs had just started to grow long and uneven compared to the rest of him. Apparently he’d always been tall. Memories of a smaller, much more innocent, Ben eating dinner with Leia. His hair was shorter then, more reminiscent of his father’s trademark style. His smile was brighter, nothing like his stiff expression now, but Rey could tell that the darkness had started to take control of him. There was something distant in his eyes. Reserved. 

She would watch him unravel so quickly. His life fading into the darkness as one by one, the people he loved abandoned him. Rey wanted to scream. They could have done something. Leia, Han, Chewie, Luke. They could have been better parents. They could have been better teachers. But she couldn’t hate them either. There was no way of knowing that Ben Solo would turn into Kylo Ren. They had done what they thought was best, and they had been wrong. It was all wrong. It was all so unfair. But Rey couldn’t change that. 

All she could do was watch as the nightmares continued. It killed her as it did him. She knew Ben could never admit to himself that he regretted killing Han Solo. Not now, maybe not ever. She wondered, as she woke with tears staining her freckled cheeks, if Ben Solo would ever be able to feel whole again, even in the Light. If he could ever be happy again. 

But no matter how betrayed she felt, how disappointed she was, she couldn’t give up on him. Not when Ben needed her. Not when she was the only one that understood him. Not when he was the only one that understood her. 

It was all so infinitely complicated. So frustrating. Rey had spent two months shoving him away, out of reach of her mind. He had killed Snoke. He had set himself free of the Supreme Leader’s influence. But the darkside still claimed him. He felt comfort in its power. It was the only place he felt safe. She hadn’t understood that at first. Hadn’t understood why he turned his back on her in the throne room, a determined hand extended, a desperate plea falling from his lips. 

Once the anger had faded, a bitter loneliness had settled deep within her heart. And the months passed. The bond between them buckled and tugged, like an elastic band being stretched too far, it was near snapping in half. But neither of them could give in. Neither of them could risk being vulnerable. Being rejected once more. 

And so they dug their heels in, sinking further and further into isolation. But he was everywhere. A constant hum in the dark recesses of her mind. An enemy of the Rebellion as they delegated battle strategies, armory raids and supply runs. A shadow of familiarity in Leia’s features. Rey couldn’t escape the daily reminders, and the mere thought of him triggered a pulse in their bond, thrumming energy under her skin, heart racing, until she slammed up her mental walls and summoned every mind numbing fact about TIE fighter engines and X-wing schematics. 

Rey tried to keep busy on Ajan Kloss. It had been the Resistance base since their narrow escape from the planet Crait. Luke’s sacrifice had saved the remainder of the cause, only a few hundred to claim the victory over Snoke’s annihilation and the  _ Supremacy’s _ destruction. Though no one had come to their aid when they had sent out the distress call, the small spark of hope that the tides might be shifting grew steadily as valiant stories of the battle spread to the oppressed Outer Rims. 

Even with the new recruits, the Resistance was struggling to rebuild. As was the First Order. The silver lining for both parties being that any major attack was strongly ill-advised. They couldn’t avoid the occasional confrontation when it came to intel gathering, but such things were necessary. 

Rey itched for the chance to fight. As much as she was afraid of it, afraid of meeting  _ him _ again on the battlefield, it was the only moment she felt she was doing something right. Doing something for the people who relied on her. The whole of the Resistance relied on her, and it made her uncomfortable most days. 

She was The Last Jedi. 

It was an honor. And a burden. No one knew the truth behind Snoke’s assassination. The rumor, undoubtedly spread by Kylo Ren himself to shift the blame and to claim the title of the Supreme Leader without mutiny from the First Order, was that  _ she _ had been the one to kill him. That her powers had far surpassed Snoke’s comprehension, and his underestimation of her had been his undoing. 

It was claimed that Snoke had been probing Kylo Ren’s mind at the time of the “attack”, and her actions had severed the bond between him and his master, firmly rendering Kylo unconscious and incapable of stopping her. No one had questioned this. Very few people actually knew how The Force worked. And even fewer knew the extent to Snoke’s powers. It seemed a likely story that Snoke’s passing would have affected his dear apprentice in such a way. 

When all was said and done, the rumor had spread before Rey had the chance to tell the truth. Not that she could have in the first place. It would have exposed Ben as he lay in the belly of the beast. He would be killed for his treason, for saving her. So she had gone with it. Lied, even, to make the story more believable. Added that Snoke’s death had caused a surge in The Force, and she had manifested that energy into defeating the red- armored praetorians. It all sounded so heroic. The Last Jedi was supposed to bring hope to the galaxy. The Last Jedi was supposed to be strong enough to defeat the Dark Side. 

Rey had never felt as empty as she had then. She felt like a nobody once more. Perhaps that was why she threw herself into her training, into scouting missions, into supply runs. She was good at combat. She was good at saving people. The battle field was where she was needed, where she could truly do what she felt she was meant to. 

Despite her Master’s absence, her combative skills and her strength in The Force continued to grow. She would practice any chance she got, weilding her staff or the lightsaber that Leia had let her borrow. Her own lightsaber, Luke’s lightsaber, had been beyond repair. She had tried to piece it back together, but the kyber crystal had been split in two. Rather than choose her or Ben, it had exploded, shattering into small, fragile pieces of blue.

It had made Rey consider that this was the possible future for the both of them, too. 

These thoughts were dangerous. They held Rey on a precipice, teetering on the edge of something dark and unforgivable. But alluring all the same. She could see herself so easily crashing into the chasm, letting go. There would be nothing easier than letting it all go. Ben Solo had had these thoughts before he became Kylo Ren. She knew it with every fiber of her being. This was how he turned. Some days, she wondered how he had managed to stay himself for so long, when she felt herself fading with each sleepless night. The stronger she became, the more distanced she felt. From herself, from her connection to the Light. It terrified her. 

Rey could feel it now. Obsidian tendrils reaching for her from the corners of her mind. Cold, inky fingers extended, grazing her skin. Her muscles tensed as an image of herself in dark robes came into view. The vision was fuzzy, distorted, but her all the same. Her Dark Side ignited a two sided lightsaber, the mechanical hiss echoing in the empty space between them. A violent red illuminated their features, before the lightsaber was posed to strike. 

“Rey”! A warm hand on her shoulder forcibly ripped her out of her trance, a pounding headache the only evidence that the vision had existed. 

Rey blinked a few times, coming back to the Light. The inky fingers had dissipated, somewhere out of reach as her eyes opened, the view of the Ajan Kloss forest centering her with its soft silence of beautiful green. She exhaled a breath and her muscles relaxed. A hum in the back of her mind flickered almost imperceptibly. Irritated. He was irritated. 

She heard her name being called again. Worry rippled through the Force from a familiar signature. Rey looked toward the hand that rested carefully on her shoulder as she maintained her meditative pose. Ebony fingers contrasted with her cream colored tunic. She couldn’t help but smile as Finn’s features came into focus. Relieved. 

She was safe. 

“Are you okay”? He asked, bending over slightly to examine her. Clearly her silence and dazed stare had only succeeded in concerning him more. She waved a dismissive hand between them, and the motion made him pause. 

“I’m fine. Really.”- she tried to sound convincing; if his frown was any indication, she wasn’t doing a very good job- “I can’t explain it, but I’m fine”. 

“A Force thing”? He asked like it was the most normal thing in the world. She supposed he was used to it. Her odd visions, strange intuitions and inability to focus occasionally. 

“A Force thing”. She repeated, grateful that Finn didn’t need any other explanation. She wouldn’t even know what to say. Or how to explain to him that the Dark Side called to her. And that she’s almost succumbed to it. 

“I know I’m not supposed to interrupt your meditation...stuff, but it was getting late. Leia was worried”. 

“Oh”. Rey couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. Everyone was always watching her, checking up on her. She was The Last Jedi. In the eyes of the Resistance, especially Leia, she had to be protected. Rey hated the attention. “I didn’t-” 

“That’s alright. We all know how you get.”- Finn reached a hand out to help her off the ground and she took it gratefully- “If we hurry, we can still make it in time to eat Maz’s stew. Think of it now. Ambiguous tasting broth with suspicious chunks of who knows”. 

Rey laughed as she was lifted to her feet, brushing her hands along her pant leg to get rid of the dirt collected on the fabric.

“I don’t even think she knows”. 

“Mhm. Something tells me there’s a reason she’s so secretive about it”- Finn thoughtfully tapped a finger under his chin as they began the walk back toward base- “You’d tell me if it was poisonous, wouldn’t you”?

“How would I know? I eat when you eat”. Rey rolled her eyes. 

“Isn’t there like…a Force thing you could do.”- Finn waved his hands in front of himself obnoxiously like he was flicking the air- “I thought you could sense danger or bad intentions”. 

Well...he wasn’t  _ wrong _ . She had sensed danger in The Force before, and that knowledge had saved her life. But his overly dramatized version made her cringe. 

“If Maz wanted us dead, I don’t think she’d need to resort to poisoning the rations”. Rey could only imagine the unsettling abilities of the Force sensitive Jawa. Despite her age and small stature, she was no one to underestimate, though her cryptic anecdotes often confused the already mentally unbalanced and exhausted Rey. Why did every Force Master have a predisposition for enigmatic advice and perplexing life lessons? 

It would have been so much easier if Luke had been straightforward. Maybe then…

“True.”- Finn’s playful snort brought Rey out of her bitter reverie- “I’m just glad she hasn’t had a Force vision about me yet”. 

Rey wanted to tell him that Maz most definitely had, but that would only drive her best friend crazy with curiosity, and she couldn’t do that to him. Not when she understood what it was like to question her own destiny. 

“Besides, Maz is only cooking because she wants to impress a certain brunette Wookie.”- Rey couldn’t help but smirk- “I doubt poisoning half of his friends, and giving indigestion to the rest, would count as an act of romance”. 

“Don’t pretend to understand Wookie culture.”- Finn pointed a finger at her with a mischievously disappointed frown- “For all you know, it could be a courting ritual”. 

“Ew”. Rey cringed at the mental picture. 

“Don’t be so judgmental.”- Finn jabbed his elbow into her side- “Poe and I have a running bet on how long it’s going to take Chewie to propose”. 

“I didn’t think Maz wanted to settle down”. Rey snorted. Though, a wedding on the base would certainly boost morale. 

“Who knows.”- Finn shrugged as he gazed softly toward the horizon, a pink hue dusting the sky and his cheeks- “Love can make people do crazy things”. 

~~~

“Hey, sweetheart”. Poe shot her a roguish smile that would have half of the girls on the base- and easily some of the men- melting into the floor, all gleaming white teeth and mirth. Finn and Rey had found their way to the mesh hall, a cave with wooden benches and tables set out to feel more inhabitable. The lantern between them flickered a small halo of light around their bowls, casting odd shadows across their faces. 

“Hey, Poe.”- Rey took the metal spoon out of her mouth to smile as Poe took a seat next to Finn across the table- “I didn’t know we’d have the pleasure of dining with the  _ General _ tonight”. 

With Leia’s health becoming more and more of worry, she had elected Poe to be her stand-in and her second in command. Rey could tell the responsibility of the job was starting to get to him. It had meant less time in the air, on the battlefield. It meant strategizing and calculating risks. It meant more people relying on him, trusting his plans, with their lives at stake. She knew how it felt. 

Sometimes, when a mission failed, she would find him in the pilot seat of his X-wing, staring out into the sky with crippling longing and retching guilt. It always broke her heart to see him like that; the confident, reckless pilot of the Resistance reduced to a shell of a grieving man. She would stand beside his ship, a pillar of support when Leia’s reassuring words and Finn’s comfort failed to reach him. 

She was never the one to speak first. Most of the time, neither of them said anything. He had told her, one silent night after they had lost two ships and a month's worth of rations, that her being there was enough to remind him to be strong. To keep fighting. She didn’t remember who had broken down first, but they had both ended up crying into each other's shoulders, the wind whistling through the trees as the lights of the base flickered below the stars. 

“I wish I could give you guys better news”. His smile faltered some as he looked around them for prying ears. Finn and Rey exchanged a concerned glance. 

“What do you need, man”? Finn placed a hand on the pilot’s shoulder, effectively bringing his attention back to the duo. 

“There may, or may not be,”- he gestured to both of them with a look in his eye that said there definitely was- “a First Order shipment of TIE fighters and TIE interceptors on Corellia”. 

“What”?! Rey nearly screeched, covering her mouth with her hand in an attempt to stifle her shock. Finn wasn’t fairing much better. The explosion of energy between the two as the news settled caught the attention of some resistance fighters passing by. That was the least of their worries. 

“Where did they get the money to...nevermind”- Finn shook his head, desperately- “How many”? 

“Not confirmed”. 

When it looked like that answer didn’t satisfy Rey or Finn, Poe sighed. 

“So far...sixty-five”. 

Rey felt her stomach drop. Sixty-five...the possibilities were endless with what The First Order could do with sixty-five TIE’s. The Resistance had less ships than that in total. They would be doomed.

“That’s nearly enough to fill a Star Destroyer”. Finn mumbled, eyes locking vacantly on the table. 

“It is.”- Poe nodded, a professional mask of indifference plastered onto his handsome features- “And that’s exactly why the two of you will be a part of the retrieval team”. 

The explosion of energy surfaced again against the looming disaster. 

“Part of the  _ what _ team”? Rey felt her heart rate kick for an entirely different reason now. Retrieval. He had said retrieval. That meant an off-base mission. A very dangerous off-base mission. The hum of the lightsaber clipped to her belt echoed in her ears, exhilarated at the idea of fighting something that wasn’t a droid or a tree stump. 

“Corellia, Poe?”- Finn whispered, harshly- “That planet will be crawling with stormtroopers. It’s a known First Order shipyard. If we even manage to breach the atmosphere, how are we going to fly those TIE”s back to base”? 

It was very nearly a suicide mission. One that Poe definitely conceived. This had his signature written all over it. The risk. The slim chance. The “against all odds” aspect that both frightened and thrilled Rey. 

“How many people can fit inside the Falcon”? Poe turned to Rey suddenly, ignoring Finn’s panicked questions and Rey’s pensive silence. Her eyebrows raised suspiciously, but she needed to see where he was going with this. 

“Um...thirty-two passengers. At most. Any more than that and the engines would-” 

“We have three light freighters on base. If each one can fit around thirty-two passengers, that will give us about one hundred fighters on the ground. Freighters won’t be monitored as a security threat immediately. We’ll be able to-” 

“Technically, yes. But Poe-” Rey sighed. 

“-breach atmosphere long enough to find the planet-side shipyard, and fly those sixty-five TIE’s out before the Corellian fleet or any First Order fleets arrive. One hundred fighters against however many stormtroopers in the immediate vicinity of the shipyard will be an even fight if we complete the mission in ten minutes tops. Any more than that, and we’ll be surrounded”. 

Rey could hardly wrap her head around the urgency of this plan. But she couldn’t deny that it needed to be done. If the First Order had access to those TIE’s, it could mean the end, the real end, of the Resistance if their base was discovered. If the rebellion managed to seize the TIE’s, they had a chance. A chance to fight again, to increase their numbers, to show the world that the Resistance hadn’t been eradicated. 

“Are the TIE’s operational”? Rey hesitated only a second. This was necessary. She needed to do this. For Poe. For Leia. For the Resistance. For the galaxy...for herself. 

“You can’t be serious.” Finn dropped his head into his hands, knowing fully that she was. And Poe was, too. 

“All sixty-five had a successful test run last night”. 

“Did Leia approve of this”? Rey dropped her tone another degree, leaning further over the table to ensure the surrounding people wouldn’t hear. This wouldn’t be the first time the three of them had gone against their General’s orders, but Rey hated to disappoint the woman that had taken her in. Treated her like family. 

“She did”. Poe nodded and Rey could tell he wasn’t lying. 

“She did”? Finn’s tone was dripping with disbelief. Rey didn’t blame him. It was hard to believe. 

“We’re out of safe options”. Poe answered simply, a deep frown and a bleak glint in his eyes proving Rey’s fears. Minutes passed as this information settled into their bones. It was only a matter of time before their base was found. And the longer they remained on the defensive, the more time The First Order had to rebuild their fleet. Which, if the sixty-five TIE’s meant anything, they were well on their way to doing. 

“When do we leave”? Finn broke the silence as Rey picked up her spoon. She dipped it into the broth, feeling her appetite leave her. She ate anyway. If Jakku had taught her anything, it was that she had to eat when food was available to her. Her next meal was never guaranteed. 

“At dawn tomorrow. I’m going to make my rounds collecting our finest, so keep this hush hush while you can. The last thing we need is chaos”. 

“Oh yeah. It’s never chaotic here”. Rey spoke around a mouthful of stew. 

“Be in the bridge for the debrief an hour before”. Poe tapped his knuckles against the wooden table as he made eye contact with each of them. “Any questions”? 

“So many”. Finn shook his head in exasperation. 

“Don’t think too much about this plan. You’ll start seeing holes in it and the second you doubt we’ll succeed is the second we fail”. Poe stood up with a plastered on political smile as he spewed the propaganda. Rey had to cringe at that. 

“My heart is overflowing with optimism”. Finn deadpanned. 

Poe gave them both a flinching grin before he turned and left. Rey watched as he settled down at a table twenty paces away. She had never had a chance to talk to the people eating at that table, but she supposed they would most likely be on the Falcon with her tomorrow. Rey wondered if his speech to them was more realistic, more open than it would be with people he wasn’t friends with. Did he and Leia come up with a recruitment speech? 

“We’re gonna die”. Finn wasted no time in stating the obvious, despite his supposed “optimism” of a few seconds prior. 

“At least Maz’s stew is your last meal”. Rey swallowed another spoonful and didn’t think too hard about what she was putting into her body. 

Finn frowned. 

~~~ 

She was going to do it. She had to. Too many months had gone by where she avoided the inevitable, shut off that part of herself to remain as she was now. Because she knew, as soon as she opened that door, she would change. Her world would be turned on its head. Her morals would be questioned. What she knew and thought to be true would be proven wrong once more. 

But she couldn’t do this to herself any longer. She couldn’t do this to Ben either. Even after all this time, the Force bond between them never lessened in its intensity. Which had to mean they were both still wanting, desperately, to have that connection to each other. 

Rey had to believe in him. She had to believe that he would turn. That they could help each other. 

The mission tomorrow was the Resistance's first official offensive attack on the First Order since the Battle of Crait. It was her duty as The Last Jedi, and as his force bond partner, to resume the personal mission of saving Ben Solo. 

And more than that, though she wouldn’t admit it to herself...she might die tomorrow. The thought was chilling but true. She couldn’t go, let alone  _ think _ of going without hearing from him at least once. All of the what ifs she had forced into the back of her mind, along with their connection, flooded her senses. 

Did he think of her as often as she thought of him? Did he regret ever meeting her? What would have happened if she had taken his hand? What would have happened if he had taken hers? Why didn’t he kill her in the throne room? Why did she feel this way toward him? What would have happened if he had never become Kylo Ren? 

It was all too much for her to bear at once, but Rey let it consume her. She let it drive her through the stone walls of Ajan Kloss’s cave system, into the small room she had set up by an opening in the mountain, the furthest point from where the other soldiers had made camp. She never got close enough to the edge to look down into the jungle that expanded along the mountain's base. But it offered a calming view of the stars and the vast galaxy beyond. 

From the darkness of the rounded corner in which she had placed her bed, she could pretend that this was her haven. Rey welcomed the cool breeze of the night, the sound of her shoes tapping into the stone as she set the lantern in her grasp onto her work table in the center of the room. A small chest was tucked by her bedside, containing an extra blanket and the only other pair of clothes she owned. 

Nothing was personal about this room. In fact, she could leave it now and feel no attachment. Rey supposed that was the life of a woman on the run. 

She sighed and placed her tunic into the chest, her wet and loose hair falling into her face as she closed the top. She had just gotten back from the fresher, goosebumps still present from the cold water. She liked to go at night whenever she could. Barely anyone used it at night. 

She had gotten sleepwear from Rose in the first week of being on Ajan Kloss. The grey t-shirt and grey sweatpants had belonged to Rose’s sister, but she couldn’t keep them anymore. Rey had felt guilty taking them at first, but as the weeks rolled by, Rose seemed relieved to have parted with the memory. Rey didn’t have the heart to force them back onto her. But now, they felt a little more like hers. Like something she owned. It was nice to own something. 

Warm fingers trailed through her wet locks, ridding them of painful tangles and knots. She was procrastinating. She knew she was. Maybe she shouldn’t have showered before seeing him. Would he recognize her like this? Would he like her like this? Vulnerable and scared and lonely. 

But when had either of them been anything else? 

Just as she considered reaching out to him, their bond flickered to life, breaking down the walls they had erected to protect their thoughts from one another. She gasped at the suddenness of the connection, incapable of stopping it and not wanting to. The rubber band between them yanked and then pulled. Hard. 

Ben appeared in front of her between blinks. One second, the corner of her bed was empty, and the next, he was there. Her senses dulled around her until every part of her, every cell, could feel him and only him. 

His broad shoulders hunched reflexively, defensively as his elbows rested on his knees, hands clenched in front of him. He didn’t look at her, but his breathing was sharp, his heartbeat erratic. She was sure it mirrored her own. 

Rey couldn’t help looking at him. She couldn’t help feeling suddenly warm... _ right _ . The void she had been trying desperately to escape, dark and sickening, was now full of hope, of light, of him. 

The cheek that she had carved into on Starkiller faced her, a nasty jagged line stretching from his cheekbone to below the collar of his black shirt. She trailed it with her eyes before taking in the rest of him. The small mole just above his right eyebrow. The way his dark hair fell around his features, wavy and almost delicate. The curve of his nose. The slant in his lips. 

He wasn't wearing his usual layers. Only a simple black shirt, the long sleeves rolled up to just above his elbow. His pants were a much softer fabric, looser, than what he normally wore. A tie fastened them to his waist, a ribbing effect securing the bottom of the pant leg to his ankles. Similar to hers. These were his pajamas she realized suddenly. It was almost enough to make her slam up her walls again, to retreat into the safety of solitude. Instead, she couldn’t stop the small gasp and the reddening of her cheeks. 

There was something so vulnerable about him now. This was when he was supposed to be the most relaxed, the most comfortable, the moment before sleep. But Rey knew Ben was anything but relaxed as he finally met her eyes. 

She couldn’t remember why she had been avoiding him. Just seeing him, simply seeing him, had warded off the loneliness, the darkness that had been sprouting in his place in her mind. But now Ben had consumed her attention once again. His presence was a beacon of light, and she clung to him like a moth to a flame. 

He felt  _ overwhelmed _ . She could feel it in the Force. The way it buckled and shifted as the energies surged between them, raw and powerful. He hadn’t been ready to see her. He hadn’t thought she would want to see him. It was with this realization that Rey began to feel the Force dimming, the edges of his figure becoming hazy. She instantly knew what it meant. 

“Don’t go”! Rey cried, holding back every instinct that flared in her mind to reach out, to touch him, to make him stay. She didn’t know why, but the idea of his absence was almost as unbearable as their shared nightmares. If he left now, she would be more alone then she had been before he appeared. The hope she was feeling, the warmth, would be gone. And more than that, she needed to help him. She needed him to know that she was here. That she wasn’t giving up on him. That he could trust her. 

Ben looked as conflicted as she felt, eyebrows drawing in as his dark eyes searched her face. Was this a good idea? They shouldn’t do this to each other. It would only lead to more heartbreak, more pain in the end. 

Rey sent a small flicker of positivity into his mind through hers. 

They both knew it was too late. They were connected, they were bonded, and one way or another, the war would end. Everything had been set into motion. They could avoid it, avoid their feelings for one another, but Rey remembered the shattered pieces of her kyber crystal. How they had pulled and pulled away from each other until they were ruined, unrepairable, broken. Ben saw this too, in her memories. His eyes narrowed and his frown deepened, but their bond held firm. 

“Kyber crystal is a rare commodity”. His voice sent shivers up her spine. She hadn’t heard it in so long, deep and steady. Her entire body felt like loose sand. It was a weakness, but she didn’t mind it then. “You’re not going to be able to find a replacement for it anytime soon”. 

It was just like him to state shrewd facts as a way of greeting. His first words to her in almost a year. She almost snorted at how irritating he was.

“The crystal chamber was compromised, too. The hilt’s split in half”. Rey nodded, playing along. She didn’t know what else they could talk about. There was so much unsaid, she felt it in The Force. The tension rippled between them. But if she spoke too soon, she worried he would leave for good this time. And she couldn’t- wouldn’t accept that. “I don’t have the resources to fix it”. 

“You’re not angry with me”. He proclaimed suddenly, carefully watching her expression. He didn’t understand it. But it wasn’t a question. She wasn’t angry with him. At least not now. 

“I was. And you were angry with me”. She replied honestly. The memory of his fury burned through her consciousness. How Kylo Ren had stalked toward Luke like a hunter, kicking up the red soil with his steps. How he had ordered his men to shoot her down in the Falcon. She had seen it through his own memories later, and it terrified her still. 

Rey tried to block this thought from seeping through to his side of the bond, but in this state, appearing before each other, it was much harder to hide. 

She cringed as his expression faltered, darkened and he looked away. Dejected.

“I didn’t want to talk about that”. She mumbled, wrapping her hands around her elbows as she gazed at the night sky. It was all still fresh. They weren’t calm enough, trusting enough, with each other yet to talk about the past. To talk about it in a way that didn’t end in more anger, more resentment, and more fear. 

It took him far too long to answer her. Each second that passed, she felt her heart race and her anxiety spike. 

“What did you want to talk about”? His curiosity had apparently won out over his sense of self-preservation. 

“Don’t you think it’s odd, that we can know each other's minds- our thoughts, our feelings- and still know almost nothing”? 

Rey had wondered this, among the thousands of questions that had come to mind when she was desperately trying  _ not _ to think of him. Who was  _ he _ ? Who was Ben Solo? Not as a prodigy, not as a prince, not as a son. But as a person. A human being with likes and dislikes, with habits and pet peeves. She only ever saw glimpses, and she could hardly get to know a person when she was fighting for her life. 

Rey felt Ben gazing at her now as he read the thoughts she shared. His eyes trailing across her skin, her face. She felt suddenly warmer, her grip on her elbows tightening slightly. 

When he didn’t say anything in response, she continued. 

“We can’t start over, Ben. We’ve gone through far too much to, but…”- Rey sighed, dropping her gaze to her feet as she thought of how to phrase it; she had to convince him, she just had to- “People are more than their pasts. Everyone has the ability to change their future, to make a choice, whether they can admit it to themselves or not. I’m not here to force you into something you don’t want to do. Your choices are yours. And this is mine”. 

She tentatively met his gaze, then, feeling the silence echo in the sizzling energy between them. He was staring at her intensely, eyes dark but full. Flashes of emotion flitted between his irises, and Rey tried to understand them all. 

Surprise. Confusion. Hurt. Longing. And fear. Most prominently, fear. 

Why couldn’t this be easier? 

“Snoke ordered you to kill me.”- she heard herself whispering, a desperate shaking in her voice that she hated but couldn’t control- “You didn’t. That has to  _ mean _ something, Ben”. 

Rey didn’t believe for a second that he had killed his Master for power. For the title of Supreme Leader. He may have used it to his advantage now, but there had been another reason. She had felt it in the seconds before all hell broke loose, before they fought the praetorians as a united pair. She couldn’t place it then. 

“And you didn’t kill me.”- he finally spoke and his deeply soft tone made Rey’s heart quicken- “I doubt wanting to know my favorite color had any influence in that decision”. 

It was almost accusatory. If he hadn’t whispered the words, Rey would have found herself offended. 

“So that’s it, then”? She felt like crying. Of all the ways tonight could have gone, she hadn’t imagined this. A passionate fight, verbal or physical, maybe. Anger, lots of anger. Perhaps even that continued silence. But not this. This _ heartbreak _ . It felt like he was betraying her all over again, her heart sank in her chest, aching and clenching painfully. She found it hard to breath, her fingers shook and she tried to hide it. “We go back to ignoring each other for all of eternity? To fighting? Pretending we don’t  _ care _ ”? 

“No”. Ben said it so quickly she almost had whiplash. Rey was sure she had heard him correctly, but she couldn’t help feeling shocked. “I still want to know why the Force is connecting us. I still want you to join me”.

Her breath hitched. 

“This isn’t a good idea, Rey”. He said it with a tenderness that scared her. 

“Then why are you agreeing to it”? She couldn’t help but blurt. Kylo Ren, and Ben Solo as far as she could tell, was not an idiot. He rarely did reckless things. Emotionally driven to near impulsivity, yes. But he was calculating, meticulous when he wanted to be. Even in his most emotional outbursts, his resolve was solid and clear. He had never lied about what he wanted. He had never tried to hide his intentions from her. 

And maybe part of her fear of him was that he always seemed to get what he wanted, one way or another. Sometimes unconventionally, and sometimes unexpectedly. He was stubborn and relentless, single-minded and determined. He seemed indestructible, daunting most days, until she was reminded of the things that made him human. 

“Because I’m selfish. And because I’m curious”. He said it so simply Rey couldn’t help but feel slightly suspicious. But her curiosity won out. 

“Alright”. She nodded after a moment of contemplative silence. This had been her idea, after all. There was no turning back now. “As a show of faith, I’ll let you go first.”- Rey made her way over to her workstation, keeping a healthy distance between them as he watched her every move- “I won’t answer anything Resistance related”. 

“Keeping things from me is hardly a show of faith”. He quirked his eyebrow in such a way that Rey knew he was only teasing. She rolled her eyes as she angled the wooden chair to face him. 

“If I begin to regret this before it’s even started, you’re doing it wrong”. She took a seat, leaning back as he straightened on the edge of her bed. 

“I don’t think you’ve thought this through as much as you should have.”- Ben gazed at her with that academic glint in his eye- “Continued communication between us will only strengthen the connection. There won’t be any-” 

“ _ Force _ , Ben.”- she groaned and he stilled at her curse- “Ask me a damn question that’s silly and stupid or I will leave”. 

His answering smirk only seemed to kindle her rapidly intensifying irritation. Why was he being so difficult? Was this payback for not taking his hand in the throne room? She didn’t know that Kylo- Ben- that either of them had the capacity for a joke. If he even was joking. Was he joking? 

“It appears you can take the Jedi girl out of Jakku, but you can’t take Jakku out of the-” 

“That’s it”. Rey stood abruptly as she began to pull her energy away from him. His grip on their bond tightened considerably in the next second, dragging her mind back toward his with a firm and determined jerk. She glared at him. He didn’t apologize. 

“Your accent...”-he faltered as he met her eyes, rallying a second later- “I’ve never heard anything like it before”. He said it with a pointed curiosity that hinted he’d thought about it many times. It wasn’t a question, not really, but she decided that it was better than nothing. She sighed before sitting back down. 

“There were so many accents and languages on Jakku, it’s hard to say where I got it from”. 

Niima Outpost was always swarming with travelers. New faces each day, new trinkets, new clothes, new sounds, new smells. Rey had loved people watching as she waited in the long line to receive her rations. It had been a survival instinct to begin with, watching something to learn what it was capable of and if it was a threat, but it had always been a small reprieve. A moment to remember there was more in the galaxy than sand and dishonesty. She came up with the most absurd stories as to why they were there, where they came from, who they were. 

Ben nodded as if this answer was what he expected. “What languages do you know”? 

“Um...basic, binary, Teedospeak, Ewokese, Rodese, Shyriiwook, Aqualish, Huttese...I know a little bit of Jawaese. Some phrases of Bocce”. Rey fidgeted under his watchful eyes. It felt like he was wanting her to prove something to him. That she was competent. Did he think she was incompetent? “Traders would make shitty deals if they thought they could get away with it”. 

She felt him pull at the memory and did nothing to stop him. It was innocent enough, the image of her sitting in the sand beside her AT-AT, the salvaged Y wing computer display balanced on her knee as she ran through flight sims, language tapes, and ship schematics. It had kept her busy. Learning, studying. She enjoyed learning. 

She felt Ben pull away only slightly after a few minutes, the memory fading. He didn’t seem to react to this information. It made her anxious, not knowing what he was thinking. 

“What about you”? She rubbed her sweaty palms against her knees. Hopefully he didn’t notice. Force, making awkward conversation with Ben Solo, tip-toeing around subjects to avoid a Kylo Ren moment, was more difficult than rewiring the interior of the Falcon blindfolded. 

He hummed thoughtfully as his gaze flickered to something over her shoulder. If he was actually here, he would be looking at the stars. She wondered what he was looking at on his side of the bond. 

“Basic, binary, Ewokese, Rodese, Shyriiwook, Huttese, high galactic, Togruti. Some social-political phrases in Catharese, Sullustese and Bothese”. His lips set into a firm line and she knew it was time to change the subject. He learned these languages from Leia and Han, either by training to be the next Senator for the New Republic or by getting into trouble with his dad in foreign lands. 

“Is Ben short for something”? She didn’t know why that was the first thing that came to mind. It made her cringe as he looked at her with a shocked expression. She immediately turned to stare at a chip in the wooden table. 

“No”. He said after a long moment. She almost kicked herself. Benjamin Solo? Benji Solo? What had she been thinking? At least now she didn’t need to think about it, though she shouldn’t have in the first place. 

“I’m sorry”. She found herself muttering. 

“Is Rey short for something”? He asked her with a sudden interest, like he’d never considered it could be until now, tilting his head ever so slightly as his dark hair shifted around his jaw. 

“I don’t know.”- she answered honestly, shyly meeting his eyes again- “I couldn’t even tell you if Rey is my name. I just remember hearing someone calling me that one day. Maybe it was on Jakku. Maybe it was before”. 

Ben frowned, disapprovingly. She had the vague sense, an itch in the Force, that asserted this new vexation wasn’t directed at her. 

“Rey  _ is _ your name”. He insisted, firmly, eyes like liquid mahogany. Like the coated earth after a storm. And she believed him. “If you want it to be”. 

She almost laughed at that, talking about fake names with the epitome of confused identity himself. 

“Do I look like a ‘Rey’ to you”? She smiled, half-teasing in the lantern light. 

His eyes scanned her features, then, as if he was really looking at her, seeing her, for the first time. The admiration shown in the flecks of gold in his irises reminded her of their battle on Starkiller. How he had looked at her through their clashing sabers, his cheeks and long nose cast in red. Her breath caught in her throat. What did he think of her? She couldn’t help but wonder. She couldn’t help but  _ care _ . 

“You look like Rey”. He answered finally, after an eternity of her heart pounding in her ears. She knew he meant it differently. There was no divide between her identity and her name. She just was. Rey just was. 

“Ben…” she sighed out his name, feeling lightheaded and warm. 

“Have you noticed that this is the longest force bond we’ve experienced”? He shattered the peace with a few simple words and she can’t help but snort at how obnoxious he is. “What”? 

His eyebrows raised at her like the noise had deeply offended him. 

“You’re very...inquisitive”. Rey smiled, wondering how she hadn’t noticed before. He always seemed to be curious, wanting to understand the mechanics of something. The memory of his reaction to their first force bond played on a loop in her mind. How he had ignored her anger to consider how it was possible he was seeing her, and she him, across the galaxy. 

She was sure there would be other moments she would discover like this. She felt lighthearted again. The promise of more. Of another. Of next time. 

Ben seemed to be speechless, staring at her smile as if it terrified him. It probably did. He couldn’t understand why this small detail made her happy. But he was very aware that they had now officially crossed the line of awkward small talk and into emotions that neither of them could afford to confront. 

Ben opened his mouth to speak just as their connection faded, swiftly, like sand through extended fingers. All too quickly, he had disappeared from where he sat on the edge of her bed. She felt his presence in the back of her mind, more prominent now that she hadn’t shut him out, flickering irritation at being interrupted. What would he have said? She had a strong suspicion that it would have revealed something more, and she couldn’t figure out if that was good or not. 


	2. I Want To Protect You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I know it took me a week to get back to you all, but I promise it will be worth it. I want to thank MFA101, RachieHC, and DoVeR for leaving such heartwarming comments, as well as my lovely readers for their kudos on chapter one! I hope chapter two is as enjoyable, if not more enjoyable for you all. 
> 
> I have a small section in Kylo's POV. I may or may not decide to continue with his perspective depending on how you guys like it. 
> 
> If there are any scenes you come up with for this story, or potential plot lines you'd like to see me explore, please let me know! I'd love to work with each and every one of you! 
> 
> If you've come for the fluff, here it is! Right before the chaos.

It had been the first night in almost a year that Rey had slept without waking up in pain. She had braced for the nightmares, not allowing herself to fall too deeply into sleep at first, but they never came. Instead, her own dreams filtered through their shared consciousness. 

She was laying in a field, limbs spread out on the greenest grass she had ever seen. Small wildflowers poked their way through the soil every few feet; clusters of white, yellow, lavender, pink. Tall and ancient trees lined the perimeter. There was something dark and nagging in the forest, a distant flickering of fire, of fear, of cruel words and sorrow. 

But it was as if a barrier had been erected by the trees. The darkness couldn’t reach her. She felt light, warm as the sun danced across her skin. Rey let it seep into her very being, her soul, letting it consume her in a way that was vulnerable but freeing. While the sun on Jakku had been a harsh enemy, the sun here was pleasant, welcomed. It felt as if it was an old friend. 

She felt Ben. His presence was somewhere near her, closer than when she was in the waking world. Much closer. But not close enough. She couldn’t see him. There was a spectral touch ghosting through her awareness, gentle in its movements. It was nothing like how he had tried to glimpse the inner workings of her mind before. Harsh and cold and abrupt. 

Now, it felt like they molded together. Her mind and his, fitting around one another, floating peacefully as their bodies remained tethered to the ground of her dreamscape. 

She could smell the earthly, citrus tones of his soap, pressed right beside her cheek as if he was laying next to her. She suddenly realized he was. Somewhere in his consciousness, he was laying in her field. She wondered if he was looking for her, too. But it was enough that he was here. She wanted him to know he didn’t need to torture himself anymore. 

That the darkness in the forest could stay there, apart from their existence in the light. Ben allowed his confliction, his wariness, to fade as he settled into  _ their _ field more comfortably. She didn’t know if he was doing this consciously or not. She didn’t think he was with how little he fought her intrusion and her light. 

A memory materialized beyond the clouds in the blue sky. A happy one. She watched the younger version of herself fusing a panel to the back of a Class Five pit droid, covering the messy expanse of exposed wiring as the tip of her tongue poked out from between her lips. She had found the droid in one of the wreckages near the sinking dunes. She shouldn’t have kept him, it was far too much effort to search for an appendage replacement and an uncracked lens, but she couldn’t help herself. The idea of a friend, someone to talk to, was too enticing. 

The memory continued as the droid came to life under her skilled hands. It had a very scratchy beep, only pronouncing every second syllable, but she had made it function. It was the first time she had ever worked on a droid, and it was walking and talking and helping put her tools away. Its rusty orange metal domed head was tarnished and covered in dirt. She couldn’t spare the water she had to thoroughly clean it up. It didn’t seem to mind. 

Rey remembered thinking that she didn’t have to be alone anymore. It was one of her proudest achievements at the time. Until the droid broke down three hours later from overheating. She hadn’t had the coolant attachment necessary for it to maintain a steady internal temperature to protect the wires from melting in the Jakku desert heat. Her loneliness had carried her through to Niima Outpost, where she traded the droid for five rations. 

The memory was bittersweet as the field around her faded. Ben’s presence remained, though less prominent. She had sighed awake at the sound of someone coming down the tunnel, heavy steps heading for her room. Finn. He was groggy and jittery, anxiety clouding his force signature like a thick fog. She couldn’t blame him. Today was going to be long, chaotic, and adrenaline inducing. She was suddenly even more grateful for the restful night. 

Rey got dressed quickly, feeling as if she was still dreaming, the world far away. She hadn’t felt this...peaceful in a long time. Finn seemed to recognize that too as they walked down to the bridge together, his hands fisted into the pockets of his brown leather jacket. 

“Sleep well”? He raised a suspicious eyebrow at her small smile. Nothing like the gloom that had been clouding her being a day earlier. She could only nod. There was no easy way of telling him that she had made up with Ben Solo and ended their vicious cycle of nocturnal torture. Even if Finn was her best friend. 

The bridge was a wide cave at the base of the mountain, the spot selected for its prime location near the tarmac. They had relocated all of their tracking and communications equipment, as well as their navigation system, to the inside of the cave. Placing the large computers and hardware in a circle that replicated the feeling of a bridge on a ship. 

Rey made frequent trips to the bridge, either to converse with Leia or to find Poe. Only a select few had access to the bridge, not even Rose was allowed to enter unless invited, but being the Last Jedi was in itself an all access pass. 

When she and Finn arrived, there were already a good amount of resistance fighters lining the walls, waiting for the debrief. They spoke in hushed tones and Rey couldn't help but feel the nervous energy rippling vibrantly around the room. Her peaceful morning was slowly beginning to chip away. 

“Rey”. 

She almost jumped as a hand rested on her shoulder. Leia gave her a reassuring smile, the corners of her eyes wrinkling with the effort. She wore a silver robe, her greying hair tied into a delicate knot and a twisted crown. The rings on her fingers pressed into Rey’s skin under the tunic. 

Leia hadn’t slept well. Rey could feel her weariness, though her set shoulders and steady gaze said otherwise. The young Jedi couldn’t help but worry for her Master. Everyone pretended not to notice, for Leia’s sake, but they all saw the old woman resting more than she used to, sometimes using Rey or Poe’s aid to walk to her quarters or to the mesh hall when the cane wasn’t providing adequate support. Rey shoved the grim thought away. 

“I know this isn’t the most...sensible plan we’ve come up with. It’s alright to be worried”. Her Master nodded, knowingly. Rey didn’t have the heart to correct her, to tell her she hadn’t been thinking of the mission. Instead, she offered a small smile, placing her hand over Leia’s thin knuckles. 

“It also isn't the most risky thing we’ve pulled off”. Finn shrugged beside her. Force, he was starting to sound like Poe. Rey shook her head at him, eyes full of amusement. 

“What”? He gave her an apprehensive frown as she shook her head again. 

“You both have sacrificed so much already.”- Leia watched them with a saddened smile; pride and grief emanating- “As my most trusted and capable fighters, I must ask for your help again”. 

Rey wanted to tell her that they would always be willing to fight for the Resistance, but Poe was calling order and Leia gestured for her and Finn to join the ranks. It seemed it was time to get down to business. 

Poe waited for them all to quiet down, making eye contact with each individual as he rubbed his hands together in front of him. She could tell he was trying not to fidget. When his eyes met hers, she gave him a brief smile and a reassuring nod. 

_ You can do this _ , she hoped the expression said. She truly believed he could. 

Poe smiled in return, before looking next to her to see Finn firing supportive finger guns in his direction. Leia shook her head at their antics before she dropped into a chair beside a navigation chart. When she had stopped shifting, Poe took a deep breath. 

Leia had a way of searching a person's soul for insecurities, fears, and motivations. The old woman always seemed to know how a person would tick. Rey supposed it was what made her a good leader. And while Poe didn’t have the same natural instinct, he made up for it with his charisma. It was hard to disagree with Poe when he sold a story or a plan just right. If Rey and Finn being here meant anything, it was that Poe was rather convincing when he wanted to be. 

Or that Rey truly was losing her mind. 

“The objective is simple, the execution less so. The mission will take four days total, two to Corellia and two to get back. Once we have the TIE’s in our possession, it won’t be a straight shot to base. We will make a stop in Arkania to recharge the TIE’s and to allow those pilots to rest”. 

Leia tapped the screen next to her until a holo of Arkania appeared in front of them. It was a frigid planet, Rey read through the data.. Tundra terrains. It was decently populated, a planet for the trading of luxury goods. 

“We will avoid the cities by landing in the mountains and camping in the freighters. It’s important that you bring gear for the cold. To save energy, and to remain unseen, we won’t have a heating source. Layer up. It would be really shitty to survive Corellia just to die of hypothermia a couple hours later”. 

Leia coughed and gave Poe a pointed look. 

“For the mission itself, we will need to breach the Corellian atmosphere through hyperspace to avoid the First Order patrols and Stormtrooper check points. Chewie, Rey, and myself will each be piloting a freighter, and I’ll give the rest of you your assignments in a moment”. 

Rey stiffened in surprise. Poe definitely hadn’t told her that little bit of information. Though she should have suspected it considering Corellia was in the Core. Only the three of them knew how to pilot a craft through a planet’s atmosphere in hyperspace, and while it was still dangerous, they had pulled it off more times than should be allowed with the risk it posed to everyone on board. 

Still, she felt a little disheartened now. Chewie would pilot the Falcon, the ship was his after all, with 3PO to assist in translating his Wookiee dialect, and Finn would have to choose between flying with her or Poe and BB8. Scratch that. She knew exactly what he’d choose. And Rose, while a great engineer, was not a fighter. 

She didn’t like the notion of being separated from her friends. Not when they could all be dead in a matter of days. 

“Those TIE’s will be heavily guarded, so our ground troops will need to be prepared for anything. Rey’s team will draw out the Stormtroopers from the right end of the shipyard, where the rest of us will attack. Once we manage to surround the ships, we’ll need to move quickly. The First Order will be notified as soon as we make our presence known, and they’ll send reinforcements, which includes the Corellian fleet. This gives us about ten minutes to secure the TIE’s and get out of dodge”. 

“What happens if we don’t have enough people to fly the TIE’s”? It was asked, grimly, in a voice that was high and mousy. Rey couldn’t see the speaker, but she could feel their fear. Casualties couldn’t be avoided, especially not on a mission like this, with so little time to prepare and with so little resources. Rey could only hope that her friends made it out alive. Perhaps that was selfish...and not very  _ Jedi _ of her, either. 

“Destroy the remaining ships.”- Poe commanded in a tone that implied the necessity- “The First Order can’t be allowed to fly a single one of those TIE’s. This mission's success relies on keeping them out of First Order hands”. 

“What if our freighters are followed as we leave atmosphere”? A stout man, Rey recognized him as Lorn Madine, questioned. She had flown with him before. He was almost as good of a gunner as Finn. And he’d been in the Resistance for almost as long as it had been active. 

“Well, in that case, we can put our newly acquired TIE’s and their fully functional plasma blasters to some good use.”- Poe seemed to be much less nervous now that the plan was being accepted- “As for the assignments…” 

Rey watched as he pulled up a list on his datapad and began reading off names. It was all fading quickly though, her senses sharpening onto a point in front of her, the world falling away. Now was most certainly  _ not _ the time for a force bond connection, she cursed internally. Her heart beat pounded in her ears as she tried to push away the insistent weight of his consciousness, slowly creeping into hers. But it was too late. 

Ben stood in the center of the room, only a few feet away from Poe. His arms were crossed in front of his broad chest. She had almost forgotten how tall he was, intimidating and strong. His mask was patched up, cracks lined in vibrant red as he cocked his head to consider her and the suddenness of the appearance. Neither of them had been prepared for this, then. 

She pressed her lips together firmly before she could give any hint to the others that an enemy had joined their meeting. Despite his black robes and the mask he had somehow fixed, she could almost picture him leading the mission along with Poe. A grey shirt and a black leather vest, a shy crooked smile. In another life, Leia would have made Ben General. Leading suited him, as it did his mother. 

_ This isn’t a good time. _

The words floated naturally through the Force as if she had spoken them. It was almost shocking, how easy it was. 

_ When is it ever a good time? I’m starting to think the Force is making it difficult on purpose.  _

She couldn’t disagree. And the fact that he was speaking to her mentally implied he was in a similar situation. But she liked it. That it was his voice. Undistorted by the mask. 

_ You’re near someone, right now? _

_ Multiple people, actually. I’m observing a training session with the new Captain of the First Order legions. _

His honesty made her heart sink a little. He was trusting her. If this mission succeeded, would he feel betrayed once more? Would that be the end of...whatever this was? A growing sense of dread began to wash over her. They couldn’t fail this mission, but she couldn’t fail him either. 

“Again”. His voice cut through her unease and she centered herself once more. He was staring at something to his right, and then he was nodding and turning back to her. 

_ I would apologize for being the reason you have to find a new one, but… _

She was glad that Finn had the chance for revenge. After everything he had been through while he was FN-2187...It wasn’t as if Phasma didn’t deserve it. 

_ You shouldn’t be sorry about something like that.  _

His tone was dismissive, casual, as if they were discussing poor weather conditions. And she really hated that mask. How it had the ability to separate them. How it had the effect of fueling the persona of Kylo Ren, cold and angry and frightening. 

Rey knew she was the only one that could perceive this shift. From Kylo to Ben. A subtle change in posture, in inflection, in dialogue. She was positive he wasn’t even aware of it. 

But she didn’t hate Kylo Ren. And she was tired of running from him. 

_ I’m in a meeting with your mother.  _

She didn’t know why that thought had slipped through, out of all the things she had wanted to say. Maybe because she had needed, at least for a little bit, to be honest with him, too. But admitting it might not have been the best move. 

Ben visibly stiffened despite his already rigid and tense stance. She noticed his fists clench around his forearm, leather gloves stretching around his knuckles. She wished she could see his face. He had the most expressive features when he was with her. His eyes couldn’t hide anything he was feeling. She liked that about him. 

Instead, she resorted to skimming the edges of his mind, a gentle tug on their bond. 

He wasn’t angry. No, it wasn’t anger that bounced from him to her. It was guilt. Shame. Fear. She didn’t have to wonder why. She knew the source of those emotions. Knew them as if they were hers. Before a memory of Han could surface between them, Rey was changing the subject. She couldn’t bear that image now. Not when she was surrounded by the people that cared for Han. 

_How does one apply to be the new Captain of the First Order legions?_ _Is there an audition? Perhaps an anti-anger management course._

She couldn’t deny that it made her curious. And she was pleased at Ben’s apparent confusion and amusement. 

_ I think there might be an issue with your work history and previous employers.  _

He said after a long pause, as if he had considered it. 

_ Conflict of interest?  _

_ Precisely.  _

She didn’t know what this was. A year ago, they would’ve been accusing each other of kriff knows what and getting nowhere. Wanting to be together as they somewhat were now, but not knowing if they were even capable of it. Force, it had been so complicated then. It still was complicated. 

“What are you smirking at?” Finn’s hand rested on her shoulder and suddenly she remembered he was beside her. His voice was distant, despite his proximity, and Rey knew that Ben was still in front of her. 

“Nothing”. She hurriedly shook her head, and felt immediately stupid. Nothing was never a good answer. “I was just thinking about Poe’s cursing slip up. Do you think Leia will scold him in private or in front of us”? 

At the mention of the name, she caught a glimpse of Ben in the corner of her eye. To her surprise, he didn’t have a reaction. Instead, he seemed intensely focused on something to her right...she looked up and saw Finn laughing. Could...could Ben see him? How was that possible? He had to be watching something on his side of the bond. The training of his troops, most likely. 

As if to answer her question, she felt Ben's eyes drift to Finn's hand on her shoulder, the image of it floating between them like a holo. The idea hit her, or him, she couldn’t be sure who thought of it first. Physical contact. Ben and Rey had never experimented with the Force bond between them, too busy trying to avoid it to consider the possibilities, but it would make sense that something they were holding or touching would also appear in the connection. 

The thought had her heart racing. Could he  _ hear _ Finn too? 

“Probably in front of us. You know Leia.”- Finn lowered his voice to pronounce the name, as if mentioning it would attract the General’s attention to their conversation- “She’ll use Poe as an example for the rest of us. She hasn’t caught me cursing yet, but she knows we do it”. 

“You can take the girl out of Jakku but you can’t take Jakku out of the girl”. She tried to smile convincingly, giving another sideways glance toward Ben. She really tried to be present, in the bridge with Finn, but she couldn’t focus properly. Not when Ben was only a few feet away. And not when there was the potential that he could hear this whole interaction. Her words had made him scoff. 

_ I remember you getting rather upset when I said it. _

_ You were being difficult.  _

Finn was laughing again. “You’re her Rey of sunshine, though. She won’t try to catch you cursing”. 

“I’m her what”? Rey raised an amused eyebrow, worries halted temporarily with this new declaration. 

“Rey of sunshine. Maybe I’ll start calling you that.”- he placed the hand not gripping her shoulder under his chin as he hummed- “It’s kinda cute”. 

“Please don't”. Rey groaned. 

“Oh c'mon. Don’t be like that,  _ sunshine _ .”- he emphasized the word just to annoy her and she groaned again- “It’ll catch on. Rose and Poe will love it”. 

“None of you respect me”. 

“I don’t know about that. Poe must respect the shit out of you if he’s making you squad leader and second in command.”- Finn paused, thoughtfully- “Or maybe he’s just trying to seduce yo-” 

“He’s making me what”? Rey nearly shrieked. 

She felt the bond ripple slightly but she couldn’t focus on it now. 

“Weren’t you paying attention to the meeting”? Finn gave her a pointed look. 

“I...um...zoned out. Just for a little bit at the end”. She admitted sheepishly, folding her arms across her chest. 

“A force thing”? Finn questioned with a sigh. 

“A force thing”. Well that wasn’t a lie. “Don’t tell Leia”. 

“She probably already knows”. 

They both chanced a glance at the old woman as she sat near the holo still flickering with the image of Arkania. Leia was already looking at them with the hard expression of a suspicious mother. Finn and Rey both flinched and hurriedly turned away. 

“Oh yeah. She knows”. 

“Kriff”. 

“Watch your language, sunshine. And get your shapely ass on Freighter Two”. 

“I’m surprised your shapely ass isn’t already on Freighter Three”. 

“How’d you know I was on three? I thought you weren’t listening”. He gave her a side eye that implied she had used some sort of dark magic on him. 

“Because Poe is flying Freighter Three”. She gave a suggestive wink before pulling away from him. 

“And what's that supposed to mean?”- he called after her but she didn’t stop as she went to load supplies- “hey! Rey”! 

She couldn’t help the satisfied smirk that stretched onto her features as she glided out of the bridge and into the golden and pinkish glow of early morning. 

_ I won't ask you where you’re going _ . Ben was beside her, his cape flapping behind him as he walked. 

Had he seen enough of the training session? Or did he want to follow her? 

_ I’d appreciate that.  _ She replied cautiously. He had the habit of pushing her buttons and digging for information that wasn’t in his place to know. And yet...something was off. 

_ Is something wrong with the Falcon? _

The question stopped her short, and she nearly tripped on a rough patch of dirt. He watched Rey right herself mid-step.

_ No _ . She replied hesitantly before walking forward once more. He shortened his stride to keep pace with her. 

_ Then I’m surprised you aren’t piloting it.  _

_ I want to _ . She blurted, unable to hide the hint of dejection she had felt earlier from him.  _ But it isn’t my ship. _

Ben’s mask cocked in her direction and she felt his confusion. The ownership of the Falcon hadn’t stopped her from flying it before. But luckily he didn’t press the matter. 

_ Could you see Finn just now? Through the bond?  _

She smiled and waved at a familiar face as she passed into the cave they had used for storing the supplies. Rey was engulfed in darkness once again, and it took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust. Ben eyed her carefully. 

_ Yes. _

_ Could you hear him?  _

_ Yes _ . He repeated just as flatly. 

_ I didn’t think that was possible _ . She paused in front of a crate of clothing items. She reached into it to pull out a navy blue jacket, padded thickly as it draped down below her knees. A pair of black leather gloves dangled out of the left pocket. 

_ Can you see this? _ She turned the coat this way and that as she examined it. 

_ The bond is getting stronger _ . He nodded, black mask bobbing before he looked at something to his right. 

_ It’s going to get much harder to hide if that’s the case _ . 

She hadn’t meant to send this message to him, clearly a recurring theme of the day. She had meant to keep it to herself, a looming dread and anxiety that she’d have to resolve later. She didn’t have the time to worry about it now. But he had heard her, she felt his eyes on her face. 

_ Then don’t hide _ . His voice was low and hushed. Warm. It was the same voice that had asked her to take his hand. The same voice that had begged her. The broken and desperate ‘please’. She felt herself wanting to take his hand again, her skin itching as the bond between them faded. He was gone the next second. 

And thank the force for that. Another moment, another word, and Rey could see herself being irrationally honest once again. 

~~~

When her bag was packed with the materials she would need for the mission, and breakfast was consumed quickly in the mesh hall, she headed for freighter two, parked in a clearing a few trees away from the Falcon. 

The longing she felt hitched again and she shoved it down. There would be more missions, she told herself. The Falcon was still her home. She heard Chewie's tell-tale growling as he directed his team into the shabby ship. 3PO’s chipper tone could be heard translating from inside the ship. 

She hoped the updates she had made to the glitchy hyperdrive would terminate the chance of a breakdown mid-battle, which happened one too many times in the past year. She had replaced the rectenna dish they had lost on Crait, but the compressor was still down. 

Chewie knew what he was doing though. And they had flown the Falcon in much worse conditions. 

She watched as crew members ran to and from the freighters in a mad rush, fueled by pre-battle adrenaline. She saw the loving embraces and the heartfelt goodbyes. Promises that most knew couldn’t be kept. 

Leia was standing on the ramp of freighter two when she arrived, and Rey had the burning motivation not to let her down. 

“We’ll come back.”- Rey stated firmly when the old woman smiled mournfully- “We always do”. 

“I can only hope that what once was mine will serve you well”. A wrinkled finger pointed to the lightsaber clipped to Reys belt. 

“It has before and it will again”. 

A gleam of undeniable sorrow swam across Leia’s brown eyes. 

“You sound so much like him”. 

The statement made Rey pause. Him? She couldn’t tell if Leia had meant Luke or...Ben. And she couldn’t ask. Couldn’t know for sure. So she simply nodded, and wrapped her arms around the former princess in farewell. 

Once Leia had been escorted off the ramp, Rey walked into the unfamiliar freighter with a hesitant curiosity. It was a much newer ship. It didn’t have the characteristic musk of uncleanable rust and engine oil. The interior hummed with updated technology as people bustled about. There was no gaming system in the crew area. The feeling of  _ home _ was noticeably absent. 

“Rey”! Someone shouted from behind her. She dimly recognized the force signature, vaguely from passing, but his aura of unguarded friendliness lowered her defenses. She couldn’t help but be wary of strangers. Especially ones that seemed to know her, when she knew nothing of them. 

As she turned, a man only a few inches taller than her and with a rounded waist, extended his hand. He had a mop of dark but greying hair covering the majority of his wide forehead. His nose was long and thin. His hazel eyes wrinkled in the corners as he smiled. It made him look young and full of life. She knew she had seen him before around the base. 

“Gavid Melne.”- Rey understood that this name was supposed to mean something to her as she took his hand; she really should have paid better attention to the meeting- “It’s an honor”. 

“Hello.” she replied awkwardly, her default when receiving a compliment. 

His hand was sweaty and she pulled away after a few seconds. She was trying to come up with something to say, but he beat her to it. 

“I don’t suppose you need a tour”. 

“No, that’s alright. The schematics can’t be much different from the Falcon”. 

Gavid nodded, extending his hand again down the hallway as if to lead her to the cockpit. They walked side by side, the other members of their crew parting to let them pass. 

“The Falcon. Now that’s a ship I’d like to fly”. 

_ Fly. _ As if the word had suddenly opened up his mind to her, she realized he must be her copilot for the mission. 

“I think that happens to be the dream of every pilot in existence”. Rey smiled and Gavid laughed. 

“That’s the truth.”- he nodded as Rey adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder- “Then again, I never imagined I’d have the chance to fly with The Last Jedi. The best things that happen to us are never expected”. 

~~~ 

(Kylo’s POV) 

She was going somewhere. Somewhere dangerous. Somewhere separated from her friends. He hated the idea. It made him anxious for an unexplainable and unthinkable reason. 

The fascinating, theoretical possibility of the forces capacity being beyond his previous comprehension had been overshadowed by the fact that she was leaving the safety of a base he had yet to find. His mother surely wouldn’t sanction a risky mission. A mission that would cost mass casualties. 

He had tried to tell himself this. But another voice, much more prominent now in his state of unease, had whispered that she would if it was her last hope. If she was desperate enough. And The First Order had certainly made them desperate. This elaborate game of cat and mouse had nearly ended both of their organizations, and now the First Order was rebuilding at a much faster rate than the Resistance. Or so he perceived from the reports of the enemies activities. 

Though they had been successful in raiding First Order supplies, it was entirely obvious to Kylo that they didn’t have a lot of fighters. Those missions never consisted of more than two dozen individuals. And the rations they were stealing hadn’t been a sizable amount, certainly not the amount needed to feed an army. 

As for their number of ships, he’d heard the reports of the same freighters and X-wings causing havoc on his supply chain, which implied they didn’t have much of a fleet. Of course, the Millennium Falcon was often mentioned. Nearly each mission. And those where a ship was never identified, he could assume. 

His subordinates hadn’t been privy to this information. He didn’t know why he was against sharing the good news. Something told him that the First Order would become brutal, vicious in their attacks, and more willing to fight if they knew the Resistance was weak. 

He thought of Rey. She would defend her friends with everything she had, with everything she was. How it would break her to watch as the only family she had fell before her. How it would break him to see her that way. 

He thought of his mother. Kylo could feel her growing more and more weary, and the thought of her demise was equally painful. 

His silence on the subject hadn’t changed the First Orders plans, and so he deemed it unnecessary to reveal it now. 

The sound of his boots clunking heavily on the pristine floor made people scurry away from him, avoiding his gaze. He had grown used to this treatment even when he wasn’t the Supreme Leader. People were afraid of The Force. They were afraid of what it meant when they saw him, a reaper, a mystery, inhuman. But he wasn’t here for them. 

He swiveled into the training area where he had left Hux and the new captain, Zena Baize. She had been the most qualified out of all the individuals considered, and better yet, Hux had suggested she be removed from the application pool. It felt like a victory, albeit a small one, the day Kylo had declared who would be taking on the role. Hux’s anemic complexion had positively concaved on itself. 

The two stood silently, a current of animosity rippling in the great distance between them, as they watched the Stormtroopers practice their synchronized marching. How pretentious, Kylo thought bitterly. A useless ability for the sake of appearances. The First Order didn’t need a troop of parade dancers. 

At the sound of his sudden return, Hux and Baize turned to face him, the captain immediately stiffening and nodding a respectful greeting in her white plated uniform. She was afraid of him, but she was also in awe of him. 

And while her slight admiration made him somewhat uncomfortable, he would accept this over Hux’s obvious displeasure and insubordination. The red-headed, ill-tempered man had never respected the chain of command. Even when Snoke was the Supreme Leader, and had appointed Kylo as his apprentice and the extension of his will, Hux sought to stick his pompous nose where it didn’t belong. He was a treacherous weasel, and Kylo would kill him one day. Before he gave the man the chance to betray him. 

Today though, he needed his resources. Kylo began considering an agreeable replacement. 

“I need a list of all our current operations. Pay special attention to those on planets with freezing climates”. He ordered immediately once he was towering above them. The Stormtroopers paused in their rehearsal of unnecessary dramatics. 

“Why the sudden interest, Ren?”- Hux raised an ostentatious eyebrow as he tried, not for the first time, to undermine Kylo’s superiority and knowledge- “Are you implying we can’t do our jo-”

“The scavenger girl is reportedly in route. I can only assume she means to damage one of those operations. Not that I have to explain my motivations to you.”- Kylo thrilled at the way Hux’s face shriveled, ugly wrinkles on his pasty skin- “Are you quite possibly done with your juvenile behavior, Hux”? 

The man's lips thinned as he glowered. 

“Then I would like the list I requested, as well as a full report on all First Order personnel in the projects we deem most likely for her to target. Someone in our ranks has leaked information”. 

“Yes, sir”. The new captain vigorously agreed, her voice metallic and gritty as she spoke through the mask. Hux remained affronted. With a nod, Kylo turned on his heel, preparing to hunker down in his office, thoroughly examining the files for the remainder of the day. 

“Any calls or intel we receive on the possible location of the scavenger are to be wired immediately to my personal quarters”. 

“And if my stormtroopers apprehend the Jedi scum, sir”? 

The new captain's words made Kylo stop short. Anger flooded him at the thought of Rey, stubborn and warm Rey, being shot down in the snow of some far away, icy planet. Pristine white speckled in red. Lifeless eyes. Pale cheeks and pronounced freckles. 

Rey hated the cold, a memory of her arms prickled in goosebumps as she stood on the ramp of the Falcon on Crait, a planet with a relatively average temperature. This didn’t surprise him. She had spent her whole life on a boiling planet, her body acclimated to hazardous heat. 

Kylo didn’t enjoy the cold either. He had always had an issue with it. It was a weakness he never readily admitted. Instead, he wore layers, and no one had the suicidal thought of mentioning it. 

The air conditioning on the First Order ship was always chilling. Something to do with the Dark Side being associated with the cold. Kylo couldn’t remember the last time he felt truly warm. 

His mind drifted to Rey again, and the question that had been asked. He knew she could handle herself. He knew it. But if he could somehow ensure her survival...he would mow down an entire galaxy if it would save her. If it would make her stand with him. 

He knew it wouldn’t, but he understood his mother’s affinity for hope a little more than he did previously. Before Rey. Had there been anything meaningful before Rey? 

“Bring her to me.”- he demanded- “Alive”. His tone insinuated that if she was in any other state, it would mean everyone’s immediate demise. He felt the flicker of fear in the new captain’s mind. Hux swallowed loudly, annoying as ever. 

But Kylo didn’t care how that appeared to them. If anyone dared ask, he would say it was for revenge. A personal vendetta. To slay the girl who had marked his face and murdered his mentor. 

He stormed away, leaving his subordinates to hurriedly prepare the reports he requested as soon as possible. It was clear Kylo Ren was not in a good mood. 

His peaceful morning had been thoroughly destroyed. 

~~~

“I need to use the fresher”- Gavid sighed heavily as they stared at the flashing of space before them in hyperdrive, vivid colors dashing in and out of their vision- “You good here, Rey”? 

“Yep. All good”. She nodded, fidgeting in the uncomfortable and unfamiliar seat. 

He stood a second later, having to press into the wall of the cockpit to maneuver around the co-pilot chair. His heavy footsteps echoed through the quiet hall as their crew mates slept on the floor. 

They had been flying for hours now, almost a full day. It had been rough. Smooth flying, predictably, but uneasy tension between the fighters. Claustrophobia seemed to have something to do with it. They were at max capacity, and that had the effect of irritating the individuals that had to share the few bathrooms available on the ship as well as the rations and sleeping space.

It was a mess. Rey had already had to break up a fight in the crew area while she was eating dinner. 

It was silly. Verbal attacks starting from practically nothing. A corner of a blanket breaching whatever invisible barrier the fighters had set up to maintain personal space. That’s what almost caused a physical altercation in the crew area. Rey had the idea that the male and female involved most likely had an issue with each other apart from the boredom of waiting and the fear of what was to come.

No one knew how to deal with that fear. And the panic quickly turned to anger in the less than ideal situation. 

Rey had never enjoyed crowds either. It made her anxious to be so close to people she didn’t trust. Luckily, the cockpit allowed some semblance of privacy from the rest of the crew. Though she shared it with Gavid and two other fighters she now knew as Sion and Miri, the four of them hadn’t managed to vex one another yet. 

Gavid was a talker. Rey had known this the second he had introduced himself. But she didn’t mind it. He mainly kept the conversation going by himself and a few verbal cues from her or Miri.

Sion was a quiet but diligent worker. He had given her frequent updates on the location and status of the Falcon and the other freighter in their ranks. He seemed to know when she was starting to get concerned. And he never complained. 

Miri, on the other hand, was a torrent of energy. Her force signature was full of it, and Rey had to admit that she had syphoned from the source when she felt her anxiety spiking. Miri was young, younger than Rey, and full of excitement. Positivity. The fear that stifled the rest of the crew had no affect on her. It was a good quality in this circumstance, but Rey knew that would all change the second they flew into Corellia. 

Sion and Miri were new members. Initiated only a month or so ago at most. Rey gathered from the small brush of their thoughts that this was their first mission with the Resistance. She hoped that it wouldn’t be their last. 

Miri didn’t seem to understand Gavid's jokes, but she laughed all the same. A twinkling bell in comparison to Gavids loud and bellowing roar. They were good people. 

And now Rey was alone. Miri and Sion had left the cockpit to find a more comfortable place to sleep hours ago. She had to admit, their presence, though vastly different from the personalities of her friends, was comforting. It reminded her of when Poe, Finn, Rose, BB8, Chewie, 3PO and she went on missions together, all shoved into the cockpit to laugh about some planet with a funny name. 

Thinking of them made her heart ache, and before she knew it, she was reaching for the panel and pulling up the comm link to The Falcon and Freighter Three. 

It crackled to life in mere seconds. 

“Rey”? Finn asked thickly. The ache all but disappeared. 

“Sorry. Did I wake you guys”? She felt only a little bit guilty, but not enough to truly mean her apology. 

“Shouldn’t you be resting?”- Poe’s voice was a little more awake, but groggy all the same- “Things are going to get hairy very soon and we need you-” 

Chewie interrupted Poe’s scolding with an affronted growl. 

“What? I never said being hairy was a bad thing”. 

Chewie wasn’t pleased. 

“When have I ever called you hairy”? 

Another growl. 

“It’s an expression”! 

“I have heard it used once or twice before”. 3PO interjected proudly. He always seemed to have the worst timing. 

“Jeez.”- Finn groaned over the bickering- “I hope you’re happy, Rey. You caused this”. 

In an odd sort of way, she was happy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's over too soon, I know. By next week, I'll have a new chapter ready for you eager lovelies, but for now, here are a few more songs I heard over the weekend that inspired me to write. If you have songs you'd like me to add, let me know! 
> 
> Never Be Like You- Flume, Kai   
> Feelings- Maroon 5  
> Tear In My Heart- Twenty One Pilots   
> What If I Told You That I Loved You- Ali Gatie
> 
> Until then, ciao!

**Author's Note:**

> Wow wow! First chapter done. I hope you are all feeling excited for what's to come. I can't promise a daily update because I'm a busy college student who made time to write this in the cover of darkness, but I can promise to try my best with updating once a week. 
> 
> PS: Here is a list of songs that I found inspiring and relatable to the Reylo ship! I recommend paying attention to the lyrics.  
> Moondust- Jaymes Young (https://youtu.be/nGhes-VIC94)  
> Arcade- Duncan Laurence (https://youtu.be/l_4sksmElJw)  
> Where’s My Love- SYML (https://youtu.be/wBuif8IAOKo)  
> Lonely Eyes- Lauv (https://youtu.be/s9VKITs2tfE) 
> 
> Thank you all again!


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